Signal device for electric-railway cars.



J. E. KEPPEL.

SI'GNAL DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION HLED NOV. 21. 1914 Lgg mo Patented Apr. 17, 1917;

JESSE E. KEPPEL, OF ST. LOUIS. MISSOURI.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC-RAILWAY CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr, 1?, 1917.

Application filed November 21, 1914. Serial No. 873,267.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn E. KEPPEL, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Signal Devices for Electric-Railway Cars,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signal devices for electric railway cars. Ithas for its principal object to prevent the collision of a moving carwith one on which the power has failed so as to render it incapable ofproceeding, and without light. Another object is to indicate to the crewthat the source of power outside of the car has failed, or that theconnection between the lead into the car and the power transmission lineis broken. A still further object is to facilitate the placing of thetrolley on the power line wire in the darkness. Other objects andadvantages will hereinafter more fully appear.

T 1e accompanying drawing shows a representation of a trolley-electricmotorcar equipped with signal devices according to the invention.

The numeral 1 designates the body of the car, projecting above the hood2 of which, at either end, is a light-box or lantern 3, having a lens 4disposed so as to direct the rays of the light lengthwise of the trackor in the line of travel of the car. On the roof 5 of the car arelight-boxes or lanterns 6, having lenses 7 at their tops, and beingarranged so as to direct the rays of light upward in the region wherethe trolley 8 is applied to the power line wire 9.

The lead wire from the trolley pole into the car is indicated at 10.This wire is connected with the controller 11, as at 12, said controllerbeing located at any convenient place according to the station of themotorman. From the controller leads a wire 13, having branches 14, 15,to the motors 16, 17, which are mounted on the trucks 18, 19, in theusual manner. Wires 20, 21, lead from the motors to ground.

The normal or regular lighting circuit in the car includes a wire 22which is connected to the lead wire 10 by a wire 23. The wire 22 isadapted to be connected to the lighting circuit wire 24 through a switch25, the lights 26 being connected in series to said wire 24, and thewire running to ground, as at 27. In practice, the lead to ground iseffected through the metallic parts of the truck, wheels and trackrails.

The wire 23 leads to a magnet coil 28, from which leads a wire 29 toground. Normally, when the trolley 8 is on the power line wire 9, thecurrent is flowing constantly through the magnet 28 whether the car isin motion or not, and whether or not the lights are turned on. Themagnet thus energized constantly holds open a switch in an auxiliary oremergency electrical circuit carried on the car. As shown in thediagram, the switch comprises two pole-connectors 30, 31, which arepivotally connected by a bar 32 so as to be operated simultaneously,said bar being located in a position to be attracted to the core of themagnet 28 when the latter is energized. Attached to this bar 32 is aspring 33, said spring being adapted to retract the bar when the magnet28 is deenergized, and thereby close the auxiliary circuit.

The auxiliary circuit includes a battery 34, from one pole of whichleads a wire 35 to the switch member 30, and from the opposite poleleads a wire 36 to the switch member 31. The switch member 30 connectsthe wire 35 with a wire 37, said wire 37 having branches 38, 39, leadingto electric bells 40, 41, located at either end of the car or inproximity to the stations of the motorman andconductor. Leading from theopposite poles of the respective bells 40, 41, are wires 42, 43, whichare connected to a wire 44, said wire 44 being connected to the wire 36by the switch member 31. By the arrangement just described the bells 40,41, will be sounded immediately the connection between the car and thepower line wire is broken and the magnet 28 deenergized, said bellcircuit being at all times efiective, either day or night.

The wires 37 and 44 are respectively connected to wires 45, 46, of anauxiliary lighting circuit, by switch members 47, 48, said switchmembers being thrown to break the lighting circuit in the day time orwhenever it is so desired. Connected in multiple with the wires 45, 46,are a series of lights, two of which, 49, 50, are respectively locatedin the light-boxes 3 on the hood of the car, two others, 51, 52, beinglocated in the lightboXes in the roof of the car, and two others, 53,54, or more, being located within the car to illuminate the interior inthe emergency due to the failure of the normal or regular lightingcircuit.

From the foregoing description it is readily seen that the attention ofthe crew is directed to the break in the connection between the powerline wire and the lead into the car, and that in the night time a signalis provided to indicate to the motorman of an approaching car that thereis danger of a collision with a disabled or dead car. Also, the interiorof the car may be instantly relighted when the regular lighting circuitis rendered ineffective by the break in the power current. Thespot-lights in the roof, while primarily provided to facilitate therestoration of the trolley to the power line wire in the darkness, alsoserve, because of their upwardlydirected rays to indicate to themotor-man of an approaching car the location of a car when disabled in adeep cut or ravine, or under certain conditions wherethe hood lights 3would not be visible.

Obviously many changes in the construction of the parts, and in thearrangement of wiring for-the respective circuits, may be made Withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, I do not wish tobe limited to the exact construction and arrangement shown anddescribed.

'I claim:

1. In an electric railway car, a signal de vice thereon for theattention of the motorman or the crew in charge, a signal device on saidcar for the attention of those on a car approaching, both of said signaldevices being normally inactive, said first-mentioned signal devicebeing continuously in operable condition, means for placing saidsecond-mentioned signal device in operable condition at will, and meansfor rendering said signal devices active automatically upon the failureof the electrical current in the lead from the main source of electricalenergy to the motive equipment of the car.

2. In an electric railway car having a trolley connection with a powerline wire, a light projector arranged on the roof of the car in apositionto project light in the region of thepower line wire wherethetrolley is applied thereto, and electrical controlling means on the carin connection with the main electrical circuit from the trolley lead,said controlling means maintaining said light projector normallyinactive,- and whereby,

upon failure of the electrical current in said.

main circuit, said illuminable device is rendered active automatically.

3. In an electric railway car having a trolley connection with a powerline wire, an electrical illuminable device arranged on the roof of thecar so as to project light in the region of the power line wire wherethe trolley is applied thereto, a local source of electrical energy onsaid car for said illuminable device, a normally open self-closingcircuit closer for efiecting a connection between said illuminabledevice and said local source of electrical energy, and an electricalcontrolling device for maintaining said circuit closer in normal openposition, said controlling device being electrically connected to themain electrical circuit from the trolley lead whereby upon failure ofthe electrical current in said main circuit said illuminable device isrendered active automatically. V

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JESSE E. KEPPEL.

Witnesses G. A. PENNINGTON, V STELLA HILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

